Sunday Morning Service

Joshua 10

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“The Balance” • 1.12.14 • Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service

Intro.

- The Israelites foolishly, presumptuously, made a binding agreement with the Gibeonites when they were fooled into believing that they were a nation that had come from afar.

- It took only three days to discover the truth, and there was now an entire area that was off limits to them. But the story continues, as poor decision making rarely lets you off the hook!

- Thankfully, chapter 10 provides us with a wonderful illustration of hope and the efficiency of God, who meets His people with power that they could not have expected.

Text

• Joshua 10:1-5 : "Now it came to pass when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai and had utterly destroyed it—as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to Ai and its king—and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, that they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty. Therefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying, 'Come up to me and help me, that we may attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.' Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered together and went up, they and all their armies, and camped before Gibeon and made war against it." : Joshua details what had been a sketch in chapter 9. Adoni-Zedek, King of Jerusalem is the centerpiece of this anti-Israel coalition.

- He is responsible for organizing this group of nations to come against the people of Israel.

- Before he could enact his plan to come against Israel, Gibeon made peace with the enemy!

- This spelled bad news for Adoni-Zedek, who saw Gibeon as a mighty city with mighty men, bigger and more important than Ai. Joshua describes it as a royal and noble city.

- In it's long history, the type of men that came from there were mighty men, not ones who were prone to give into fear! Their peace with God's people made them targets.

• Joshua 10:6 : "And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, 'Do not forsake your servants; come up to us quickly, save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains have gathered together against us.'" : The non-aggression pact that Israel swore also carried a provision for protection as well. "Come quickly and save us!"

- Gibeon was in a bad way, surrounded and outnumbered, their only hope is for Joshua to come and save them.

• Joshua 10:7-11 : "So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. And the Lord said to Joshua, 'Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you.' Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal. So the Lord routed them before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes to Beth Horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the descent of Beth Horon, that the Lord cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword." :  I wonder if Joshua hesitated at all? It doesn't seem so. To his credit, Joshua heard the news and ascended from Gilgal with all the troops.

- Joshua is doing the right thing, here, almost instinctually. I pray that we would be as instant in our obedience.

- We might point out that this agreement was based on fraud! The Gibeonites had not been truthful. That was true.

- But what was also true was that the Israelites swore by their God that they would be true. That doesn't change. It's always better to honor the Lord by doing what we have said we would do.

- I know that when conditions are favorable, it's much easier to hold to our commitments. However, it's better to remember that Jesus died for us while we were yet sinners!

- Husbands, it's honorable to love your wife before she respects you. Wives, it blesses God when you are submissive before you are loved by your husband.

- Employees, it's a godly heart that causes you to work well without your boss being a model employer. You have made a vow. You have said you would do something. Do it unto the Lord!

- That dogged determination to honor God does not keep Joshua from contemplating the issues at hand. He wonders about the human danger.

- There are five very aggressive armies coming against Gibeon. He had cause for concern!

- God is so gracious to speak quickly to Joshua in the moment that He most needed to hear His voice. "I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you!"

- How would that prompt you to act? I'm fairly certain that it would do for you what it did for Joshua, who went headlong into the night, coming quickly and surprisingly against their enemies.

- It's worth noting that Joshua's army marched all night and toward an elevation of 4,000 ft! It was a sleepless night and a difficult uphill march!

- Following the Lord, even when we know it's the right thing to do and that the end will be to our betterment, doesn't mean that the road will be smooth or even downhill!

- When they arrived, they surprised their enemies and the last remnants fled from before the people of Israel, who were relentless, chasing them as they went.

- How exhausting was this day? They marched all night and fought the combined force of five heathen armies all day. Now they are chasing what is left of their defeated foes.

- They went as hard as they could but I imagine them coming up a bit short. Their spirit was willing, but their flesh was caving in!

- Additionally, according to scholars, the road leading to Beth Horon was a narrow one, littered with large rocks, so mobility for an army would have been extremely limited.

- They were at their end physically and were limited by the terrain, so God offered His assistance. Large hailstones buffeted the ememies of God and claimed more than any sword!

- When it comes to hail, we understand that this is a naturally occuring phenomena. What makes this miraculous is both the timing and the specific targeting employed!

- Only the enemies of God were brought down by the hail, God adding His supernatural power to Israel's cooperative effort. But wait, there's more!

• Joshua 10:12-15 : " Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: 'Sun, stand still over Gibeon; And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.' So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the people had revenge upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the Lord heeded the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel. Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal." : Notice that this was not a private prayer, but a public request of the Lord.

- He spoke to the Lord on that day before or in front of the children of Israel.

- He asked for something outside of His realm of control. He asked God for the sun to stand still over this region, the moon standing still in Ajalon, a city 15 miles to the west.

- What happened? The sun and moon held their positions. In fact, verse 13 says it matter of factly: "He asked, so the sun stood still and the moon stopped! What did you think would happen!?"

- The Bible doesn't explain it. It simply describes that these celestial bodies stopped and that the people had time to take revenge for God's sake.

- Apart from their witness of this miraculous event, there was also an extrabiblical account from the book of Jasher, a book also mentioned in II Samuel 1:18.

- The mention of this book lets the readers know that this was not just a religious happening that they saw alone. Jasher wrote of it also, though it has not survived.

- Regarding the actual miracle, there are myriads of theories and people who have cited specific proofs for this miracle. In the end, each one seems to have been found wanting.

- This does not mean that a miracle did not occur. That it occurred is certain. What it does mean is that we lack the means currently to explain it thoroughly. Don't worry: It will happen!

- Israel had been fighting God's battle. They are doing what He wants done.

- When they could not fight any longer or the enemy evaded capture, God fought for them with the weapons available to Him!

- There will be times in your Christian life when you have nothing more to give. You've had it with this or that person or circumstance. That's when God fights for you with all that heaven has!

• Joshua 10:16-23 : "But these five kings had fled and hidden themselves in a cave at Makkedah. And it was told Joshua, saying, 'The five kings have been found hidden in the cave at Makkedah.' So Joshua said, 'Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to guard them. And do not stay there yourselves, but pursue your enemies, and attack their rear guard. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the Lord your God has delivered them into your hand.' Then it happened, while Joshua and the children of Israel made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they had finished, that those who escaped entered fortified cities. And all the people returned to the camp, to Joshua at Makkedah, in peace. No one moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel. Then Joshua said, 'Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings to me from the cave.' And they did so, and brought out those five kings to him from the cave: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon." : God had delivered the armies and their Kings into the people's hands.

- Joshua trapped them in one of the caves and kept it under guard until all the rest of the work was finished. When the time was right, the Kings were brought out from the caves.

- Adoni-Zedek had led them in this aggression against the Lord and now he's being led out!

- This will always be the story of those who oppose the Lord! We live in a time when God's grace is the dominant feature of His character, so we believe that our story might be different!

- If you march against the Lord, you will be led out in the same manner as these kings were: Hopeless, defeated and if you persist, lost forever!

• Joshua 10:24-27 : "So it was, when they brought out those kings to Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the captains of the men of war who went with him, 'Come near, put your feet on the necks of these kings.' And they drew near and put their feet on their necks. Then Joshua said to them, 'Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage, for thus the Lord will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.' And afterward Joshua struck them and killed them, and hanged them on five trees; and they were hanging on the trees until evening.  So it was at the time of the going down of the sun that Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees, cast them into the cave where they had been hidden, and laid large stones against the cave’s mouth, which remain until this very day." : What we are witnessing here is a "subjugation ceremony." In ancient times, this was the final action taken against defeated kings.

- Joshua's army had put down these 4 rival kings and now, they were to bow before him. Joshua invited his captains to come and put their feet on their necks.

- They had ruled over Kingdoms and had been accustomed to people bowing before them.

- Imagine the humiliation of this moment, as now they are bowed down before their conquerors, who are using their necks as a place to rest their feet!

- Now, Joshua is the General, but notice that he invites his captains to come and participate in this, letting them know that this is what was in front of them.

- "God will do this for you against all of your enemies! Remember what this feels like!" How gracious! God has given Joshua the victory and he lets his Captains share in the glory!

- In the same way, Jesus has won the victory for us and invites us to join in and put down the enemies in our lives!

- Joshua exhorts them first in the areas that could negatively affect them. If Joshua's men refused to give in to their fears, if they refused to break under the pressure, they'd be half way there.

- Too often, Christians allow their minds to entertain fear to the point where they allow themselves to be broken under it. Fear is all that they see and they are spiritually crippled.

- We always have a choice. When fear creeps in, it belongs in the hands of God immediately and repeatedly until it truly belongs to Him.

- Positively, they were to be strong, firm, established, and of good courage, speaking of bravery and boldness.

- These are necessary attitudes for all Christians who would see victory in their lives! For the people of God, those who allow the Lord to move them in this way, will see the Lord fight for them!

- After this ceremony, Joshua killed the kings, hung them up for a day and them buried them in the same cave that they had chosen to hide in!

• Joshua 10:28-43 : "On that day Joshua took Makkedah, and struck it and its king with the edge of the sword. He utterly destroyed them—all the people who were in it. He let none remain. He also did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho. Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, to Libnah; and they fought against Libnah. And the Lord also delivered it and its king into the hand of Israel; he struck it and all the people who were in it with the edge of the sword. He let none remain in it, but did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho. Then Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish; and they encamped against it and fought against it. And the Lord delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, who took it on the second day, and struck it and all the people who were in it with the edge of the sword, according to all that he had done to Libnah. Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua struck him and his people, until he left him none remaining. From Lachish Joshua passed to Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they encamped against it and fought against it. They took it on that day and struck it with the edge of the sword; all the people who were in it he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish. So Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, to Hebron; and they fought against it. And they took it and struck it with the edge of the sword—its king, all its cities, and all the people who were in it; he left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon, but utterly destroyed it and all the people who were in it. Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir; and they fought against it. And he took it and its king and all its cities; they struck them with the edge of the sword and utterly destroyed all the people who were in it. He left none remaining; as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir and its king, as he had done also to Libnah and its king. So Joshua conquered all the land: the mountain country and the South and the lowland and the wilderness slopes, and all their kings; he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded. And Joshua conquered them from Kadesh Barnea as far as Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even as far as Gibeon. All these kings and their land Joshua took at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel. Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal." :

Conclusion

- This section details the conquest of the southern part of the land. We won't spend much time here, but notice a few repeated details.

- Joshua's campaigns all concluded the same way. He let none remain. All who came against him were destroyed and all who came to help, as in the case of Horam, found themselves defeated.

- God turned Israel's sinful presumption, into a rout that saw five Kings dethroned in one event.

- When the did what He told them and acted in line with His will, He met them with supernatural power and did for them what they could not have done.

- Israel would have been happy with one win. God opened the doors to take over an entire section of the land of Canaan!

- He has not changed at all. He wants you to put your feet on the neck of that which comes against you. Will you be bold and courageous to follow Him? It's your promise for the taking!